The present invention relates to a vehicle winch arrangement and more specifically to such an arrangement which enables a pull to be applies selectively in either the fore or aft direction of the vehicle.
One example of a winch arrangement of this kind is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,295, in which a cable winch unit is fitted directly behind the front bumper of a truck. The winch unit comprises a winch from which a cable extends towards the front of the truck to provide forward pulling and cable guide pulleys mounted in the front bumper which enable the cable to be guided along the front face and around one end of the bumper to be directed towards the rear of the truck for rearward pulling.
However, this known arrangement requires the cable to be routed around the external side of the truck during a rearward pull which could cause damage to the vehicle in the likely event of an accidental slew. It also only enables a forward or a rearward pull to be carried out, but not simultaneous pulling in both directions. The positioning of the winch directly behind the front bumper could also cause a number of problems. These problems may include poor winching stability due to the highest loads being borne by the corner bumper pulleys which would be cantilevered out from the ends of the front bumper, thus creating large bending and twisting moments on a relatively frail component and rendering the vehicle prone to unintentional slewing; imperfect layering of the cable on the Winch drum when being used for a rear or side pull as the cable would tend to build up on one side of the drum; and increase in the vehicle""s moment of inertia in pitch and yaw which would have an adverse effect on the vehicle""s handling characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,194 discloses a game-handling apparatus mounted on a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle to which a winch is fixed. The apparatus includes a first roller mounted on the front of the vehicle above the winch for guiding the winch line from the vehicle upwardly, a roll bar secured to the vehicle and fitted with a middle pulley for guiding the winch line rearwardly, and a rear roller attached to the rear of the vehicle for guiding the winch line downwardly behind the vehicle. A game animal can be attached to the end of the winch line to lift the animal onto the vehicle.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle winch arrangement which enables a large number of winching modes to be carried out including simultaneous forward and rearward pulling, and also increases winching stability.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention consists in a vehicle fitted with a winch having a winch cable extendable from the vehicle to apply a pull in one fore and aft direction of the vehicle, and guide means about which the cable can be turned so as selectively to apply a pull in the opposite direction, the guide means comprising a guide member at or adjacent one end of said vehicle and about which the cable leading from the winch is turned towards the opposite end of the vehicle, and fore and aft guide means guiding the cable to the opposite end of the vehicle, characterized in that said guide member is removable from the vehicle for attachment to a load or an anchor point, and in that stop means are provided on the cable for stopping recovery of the cable onto the winch in a predetermined direction.
The present invention thus provides three basic winching modes comprising:
1) to carry out pulling in one direction, the cable is extended out of the end of the fore and aft guide means and it is secured to a load or an anchor point, whilst the guide member is on the vehicle;
2) to carry out pulling in the opposite direction, the guide member is removed and secured to a load or an anchor point, whilst the cable remains in the fore and aft guide means; and
3) to carry out pulling simultaneously in both directions, both the guide member and the cable end are extended out and secured to a load or an anchor point.
From a still further aspect, the invention consists in a chassis for a vehicle, said chassis being fitted with a winch having a winch cable extendable from the chassis to apply a pull in one fore and aft direction of the chassis, and guide means about which the cable can be turned so as selectively to apply a pull in the opposite direction, the guide means comprising a guide member at or adjacent one end of the chassis and about which the cable leading from the winch is turned towards the opposite direction of the chassis, and fore and aft guide means guiding the cable to the opposite end of the chassis, characterized in that said guide member is removable from the chassis for attachment to a load or an anchor point, and in that stop means are provided on the cable for stopping recovery of the cable onto the winch In a predetermined direction.